PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14, 2000 — Prudential Preferred Realty today announced that it has joined with Microsoft and Homebid to bring new Internet services to the Greater Pittsburgh residential real estate market. Prudential Preferred Realty is implementing HomeAdvisor Technologies Inc.’s Realty Desktop™ , the first completely Web-based customer management and transaction service for real estate professionals, as well as Homebid.com’s platform for online offer management throughout the realty’s 22 offices in Greater Pittsburgh. With today’s announcement, Prudential Preferred joins a core group of pilot partners by becoming the first broker in Pennsylvania to adopt either Realty Desktop or Homebid’s Offer Manager™
platform.

Realty Desktop improves communication between agents, home buyers and sellers with an Internet road map to the entire process from scheduling an open house and creating marketing fliers to closing and beyond. Realty Desktop fosters deeper, more profitable customer relationships by helping brokers provide additional services, such as landscaping, security systems and interior design. Through Realty Desktop, many of the Prudential Preferred agents’ tasks will be automated and Web-based, such as tracking customer leads and forwarding e-mail automatically to any Internet-enabled pager or cell phone.

“With Realty Desktop, the entire transaction is connected seamlessly. It makes the jobs of agents and homeowners easier. The buyer and seller will be able to view the status of all aspects of the sale. They will also be able to communicate via the Internet with inspectors, sales associates, lenders or anyone involved,”
said Helen V. Sosso, president of Prudential Preferred Realty.
“Sales associates will be able to respond faster and more efficiently to consumer inquiries from e-mail and Web site referrals, creating a superior experience for buyers and sellers.”

Offer Manager, from Homebid.com, gives real estate professionals Internet tools for powering online sales by transforming their listing sites into selling sites. Users can place online offers with contingencies on homes and get online counteroffers. It gives agents a strong competitive edge when trying to win new listings and market their services.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Prudential Preferred Realty, which is leading the way in Pittsburgh by embracing technology,”
said Angie Brown, product unit manager for HomeAdvisor Technologies.
“Realty Desktop will allow them to continue to simplify the transaction, increase customer satisfaction and create new revenue streams.”

“When it comes to online services for realtors, HomeAdvisor and Homebid.com are definitely in the forefront,”
said Ronald Croushore, chief executive officer of Prudential Preferred Realty.
“By adopting these tools, we are giving our agents the edge they need to better serve their customers and win new business.”

In addition to the Prudential Preferred Realty agreement, Realty Desktop has pilot programs with thousands of agents through three of the nation’s leading brokers.

About Prudential Preferred Realty

A locally owned and operated franchise of The Prudential Preferred Real Estate Affiliates, Prudential Preferred Realty operates 22 offices with over 550 sales associates serving the Greater Pittsburgh market. The company represents over 80 subdivisions and more than 100 custom home builders throughout the region. In addition to its new construction focus, Prudential Preferred Realty also specializes in nationwide relocation, residential, commercial, mortgage, title and brokerage services.

About Homebid.com

Founded in 1998, Homebid is the first company to develop and implement a modular, high-performance and highly scalable platform for buying and selling real estate online. Homebid’s Offer Manager enables real estate professionals with the resources they need to offer Internet-savvy home buyers and sellers a faster, easier method of finding, researching and purchasing homes online. Offer Manger simplifies the home-buying process and has been designed to help real estate professionals increase revenues, market share and productivity.

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Homebid held the world’s first online home sale in 1999, launching a new chapter in real estate history. More information can be found at http://www.homebid.com/ .

About HomeAdvisor Technologies

HomeAdvisor Technologies Inc. is dedicated to dramatically improving the way homes are financed, bought, sold and maintained. Formed in March 2000 and backed by Microsoft Corp., HomeAdvisor Technologies consists of three divisions focused on delivering the tools and services necessary to revolutionize the real estate and mortgage transaction while delivering significant time and cost savings to consumers as well as real estate and mortgage professionals.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft, Realty Desktop and HomeAdvisor are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Offer Manager is a trademark of Homebid.com.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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